Santa Barbara murder and hostage crisis deemed a hoax

June 3, 2017

Multiple agencies responded to a report of a son murdering his father and taking his mother hostage at a home on Barranca Avenue in Santa Barbara Friday evening. Several hours later, officers later determined the call was a hoax.

Shortly before 8 a.m., a man called a non-emergency line at the Santa Barbara Fire Department and said he had shot and killed his father with an assault rifle and that he was planned to kill his mother, whom he said he was holding hostage. The caller also threatened to shoot police officers.

The call prompted a full scale response with armored vehicles, police officers, fire fighters and the SWAT team responding to the scene. Officers asked neighbors to stay in their homes as they mounted their investigation.

After a two hour investigation, officers determined the call was a hoax.